Yom Yerushalayim vs. Quds Day: A holiday of love and a holiday of hate

Today is Yom Yerushalayim, the anniversary of the day that the Jewish people regained sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem and reunited the city that was divided for 19 years.

Yom Yerushalayim literally means Jerusalem Day.

So does Quds Day, the holiday that Ayatollah Khomeini created in 1979 as a direct response to Yom Yerushalayim.

This year, the two days are only a few days apart, so it is worthwhile to compare the two.

Here is part of the original declaration of Quds Day by Khomeini: "For many years, I have been notifying the Muslims of the danger posed by the usurper Israel which today has intensified its savage attacks against the Palestinian brothers and sisters, and which, in the south of Lebanon in particular, is continually bombing Palestinian homes in the hope of crushing the Palestinian struggle. I ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join together to sever the hand of this usurper and its supporters."

Quds Day is not a day of celebrating Jerusalem. It is not even a day of solidarity with Palestinians. It is a day to incite hate against the Jewish state.

Quds Day is a holiday of Jew-hatred.

Nothing can be more opposite to Yom Yerushalayim. 

The Jewish love for Jerusalem goes back to the days of King David himself, who wrote Psalms showing his love for the city. Multiple daily prayers yearn for Jerusalem, as does the Grace After Meals. Jewish art is centered on depictions of Jerusalem. The philosopher and poet Judah Halevi wrote poems of his love for Jerusalem.  One of the most beautiful songs of the 20th century, Jerusalem of Gold, was written even before Israel reunited the city. 

Yom Yerushalayim is a day showing Jewish love for the city that has been the spiritual capital of the Jewish people for 3000 years.

Love always wins over hate, as long as love is willing to fight for the object of its desire.

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